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7/31/2014 1:08PM

Writer-Director Cherien Dabis on 'May in the Summer'

"May in the Summer" is new independent film looking at family dynamics in Jordan. Writer, director and screenwriter Cherien Dabis discusses her film on Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero. Photo: Cohen Media Group

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... I ... Jane's first ... but ... she's adorable right ... and that was a clip from made in the summer set in Jordan the film takes a close look at family dynamics one old world traditions and modern light cool I ... it's the latest film by an retentive ... writer director Terry Davis who is also the film's star in the title role of May ... and she's here to talk to us that it's rained thank you so much for being here today ... so the U where all the houses found director writer lead actor as he did you ever feel you had taken on too much ... oh yes I had the day we deftly days there ... I'd been up more than a QQ allow congratulations on a lovely film is about all autobiographical ... it's not autobiographical that it is inspired by violence or by cultural experience ... my parents are Palestinian trading and was the first my family born in the US ... a group in a tiny town in Ohio but we went back to Georgia lost every summer ... sailing away was inspired by this you know those those times of going going home to Jordan ... doing out of place ... on being seen as the American in the Middle East and I and Dom I also have a lot of sisters in four sisters so I'm very familiar with the sister dynamic and I was also something that inspired the film and also your character may is a very modern ... New York woman who goes back to Jordan ... and it feels the pull of the family tradition and ... it does that surprise turns you think how strong that Paul ends up being ... I think so I think he's a crossroads in her mind ... and in you know it's a really important time where she's ... trying to be true to herself ... um and and going back home and having to cut it confront her parents turbulent past their divorce and ... answer seeing the way in which her past sneaks into her present moment I think really surprises are down right it's the plane journey a journey of self discovery and there's nothing like a wedding to bring all of that outside the family tradition I myself got married in keeled dragging my ... poor fiance down to queue but you never know ... I ... but ... given the as yet there are deftly lot of cholesterol and you know it makes it that that that made me ... think of your fell but shh tell what was like working with said actors and Bill Pullman and the ... NT praise your Father in the film but you also have direct and with active or how about with that with no signs of intimidate ... with the plane's meeting ... of the dudes amazing he's absolutely just such a ... wonderfully warm and generous ... person ... he was the country's new year the Pentagon shut up on set he knew everybody's names within you know like the day right on the shuttle to ice cream for the higher ... everyone just loved and that he really immersed himself in the culture ... aam he was making friends everywhere and before I knew it was having dinner with people he just maddeningly after going off the pact rounded adventure and the guys are aam ... he was really it was really great really inspiring they can film the whole thing in Jordan ... we did we shot the entire movie in Jordan today I'm and which is the capital as well as the dead Sea and winding down which is a stunning faster in the South Jordan did that work out well is that all complicated ... it was the click of the kina in a joins not if Facebook a lot of film resources and I'm it's a very small new burgeoning film community there ... and so we've to bring in a lot of elements from your equipment which came from the roots ... of all of our key crew came in from I mean everywhere from Levanon to the US ... maybe he'll kick start a big film industry that with your fell yet I also carried a thank you so much for that and made seven three of its Sundance that opens in theaters August twenty seconds